Emma gets arrested?
by FanFicWriter95
Summary: Emma Turner 7. Emma and Mary do something they know they shouldn't, and risk getting arrested. But is there more to the story than Peter realises?
1. Chapter 1

"You're lucky, you know." Mary said, falling in line next to Emma. "A whole weekend without your parents. I'd kill for that."

Emma smiled. "It's not like they left us unsupervised. Quite the contrary, I'm staying with the nuns."

Mary laughed. "As long as you don't turn in to one."

Emma playfully bumped her friend's shoulder. "Never." She smirked. "I wouldn't be accepted." She smiled at her friend, linking their arms together. "Let's enjoy my last parent-free day."

The mood of the two friends darkened once they reached their target.

"I still don't know if we should do this." Mary said. She bit her lip, looking around at the people passing them by.

Emma sighed. She _knew_ they shouldn't do this, but her friend needed help. "Look, I don't have any money with me. And you said your parents would be really angry if you showed up without it." She paused. "I'll go back later, and pay for all the stuff." She hoped that would convince her friend.

Mary sighed heavily, before nodding. "Okay." She said softly. "What will we do?"

Emma shook her head. "Just follow my lead. You're not going to do anything."

The two friends walked into the grocery store. Emma was carrying a big plastic bag. They walked through the rows, keeping an eye on the grocer. When the man was busy serving another client, she quickly grabbed a bottle of milk and a loaf of bread.

Emma smiled at her friend, as they walked to the front of the store. She didn't want to admit it to her friend, but she was quite nervous. Not only about not getting caught by the grocer, but more about what her parents would say should they find out.

Near the front of the store was a fruit stall. Emma looked around, no one was watching the two girls. She quickly reached out and grabbed a handful of small apples, dropping them in the bag with the other items they stole.

Emma confidently walked out of the store, positive they hadn't been seen. She shared a smile with the other girl, both relieved that it was over. They started to walk back to Mary's house.

"Hey you."

Emma turned around at the angry shout. A heavy set man was running after them, his face set in a furious glare.

Emma grabbed hold of the little girl's hand. She dragged Mary along. "Come on." She said. "We have to go."

The little girl was on the brink of tears. "I can't."

Emma stood still, thinking over her options. She looked behind them. The man was gaining ground.

Emma blew out her breath. "Okay." She turned towards her friend. "Run."

"What?"

"You have to run." Emma said, taking off the bag and giving it to her friend. "I'll hold him up. Go home, I'll meet you there as soon as I can."

The little girl looked worried as she hoisted the bag up to her shoulder. "I can't leave you here."

"You can't stay here, either." Emma urged her. "Go."

With one last worried look, the little girl disappeared in to the crowd.

And just in time, because a mere few seconds later, the man reached Emma. He advanced at her, hands raising.

Emma stepped back. She couldn't stop the shiver running up her spine as the man came at her.

The man grabbed hold of Emma's arm. "You're not leaving now."

Emma tried to twist loose, but with no luck.

The man had a firm grip on Emma's arm. "Where's that little friend of yours?"

"What friend?" Emma asked, pretending not to know what he was talking about.

"Never mind." The man said. "I got you, that's all I really need."

Emma kept her face down as she was dragged back to the little shop. She could hear the other people whisper. She hoped no one would recognise her.

"What's going on, here?"

Emma felt her stomach drop. She recognised that voice.

The grocer shook Emma's arm as he spoke. "I caught this scum stealing from my store."

Emma looked up, straight into the face of her uncle.

"Why don't we leave the unpleasantness to the side, and just tell us what happened." Peter said. "And let go of her arm, please."

The grocer grumbled, but let go of Emma's arm.

Emma rubbed at her arm where the grocer had squeezed it, before crossing her arms in front of her chest. She lowered her gaze to the floor, she didn't want to see the disappointment in her uncle's eyes.

The grocer continued. "Her and her friend stole from my store, that's what happened."

"Emma?" Her name was spoken in soft tones.

Emma swallowed hard, but looked up into her uncle Peter's face. She saw nothing but worry. "Yes?"

"Is it true?" Peter continued. "Did you steal from this man?"

Emma didn't want to see the disappointed look on her uncle's face, so she lowered her face. She spoke softly, but everyone still heard. "Yes."

She heard her uncle sigh.

"There were two of them?" He asked the grocer.

The man nodded. "The other girl was younger. She ran off, but I'm sure they were working together."

"What did they steal? I don't see anything."

"The little girl ran off with it." The man said. "It was milk, bread and some apples."

Peter nodded, frowning. "Could you describe the other girl? My colleague will try and find her." He turned to Emma. "I'll take this one home."

Emma winced and couldn't look her uncle in the eye. There was no way to keep it from her parents now.

"I want her taken care of." The grocer said, unwilling to let Emma get away with it. "As long as I get money for it, I won't press charges. But they need to be punished by their parents."

"Don't worry." Peter said, taking out one of his business card. He handed it to the grocer before looking back at his niece. "I'll make sure of it."

Emma swallowed hard.


	2. Chapter 2

The sergeant drove the teenage girl home. Emma kept her gaze to the floor. She couldn't look at her uncle. Peter tried to strike up a conversation with the teen, wanting to find out what was going on, but Emma didn't reply. She wouldn't tell on her friend.

The rest of the drive was in silence.

Uncle Peter took off his hat as they reached Nonnatus house. He walked to the front door and rang the bell firmly.

"I have a key." Emma reminded him softly. "And so do you."

"This is official business, Emma." Peter replied. His voice was soft, but the disappointment and worry in it was still easy to hear.

Emma lowered her head again.

The door was opened by Sister Julienne, her voice warm as she spoke. "Sergeant Noakes, what a nice surprise." She turned to Emma, and smiled. "Did you ran into each other at the market?"

Peter sighed. "I'm afraid I'm not here for a social visit, Sister."

Sister Julienne frowned, looking between the two. She stepped back. "Come in, both of you."

Trixie and Patsy walked by. "We're on our way to Mrs Jones. Her waters broke. Shouldn't be too difficult, it's her fourth." Patsy said. "Hello, Peter." She smiled. "Emma. what are you two doing here?"

Sister Julienne turned to Peter, wondering the same thing.

Peter sighed. This wasn't really how he had planned to inform the Sister. "Emma is a suspect in a shoplifting case."

"Shoplifting? No way." Trixie said, joining the group gathered around the teen. She smiled at Peter, eager to hear about what had happened.

"I'm glad you think my predicament is a form of amusement." Emma said, her embarrassment coming out as angry. "Would you like a front row seat at my interrogation as well?"

"You're in enough trouble without adding insolence to the list, young lady." Sister Julienne said sternly. "Go to the dining room. We'll join you shortly."

Emma huffed as she walked away.

Sister Julienne turned to the other adults gathered in the hallway, raising her eyebrows as she spoke. "Ladies, don't you have a labour to go to?"

Patsy and Trixie smile at each other before walking out of the door, heading to Mrs Jones.

"What happened?" Sister Julienne asked, once they were alone.

Peter sighed. "She was caught shop lifting, along with another girl. My partner and I were doing our rounds, when passer-by's alerted us."

"What did they steal?"

"That's the thing." Peter frowned. "I had expected some chocolates or a magazine. But it was bread, and milk."

Sister Julienne frowned. "Emma has plenty of that at home."

"I know." Peter said. "That's why it doesn't make sense." He sighed. "I think she was stealing it for her friend."

Sister Julienne looked at the hallway Emma disappeared to. "Has she said anything?"

Peter shook his head. "She's refusing to talk to me about it."

Sister Julienne sighed. "What about the other girl? Do you know who she is?"

Peter shook his head, again. "She ran off. My partner is looking for her. We decided it would be best if I took Emma home."

Sister Julienne nodded. "I'm glad you did." She sighed. "Emma's parents are at a conference in North London for the weekend." She shook her head. Punishing Emma would fall to her. She closed her eyes. She wasn't looking forward to it at all. But she wasn't going to have Emma, the girl she saw as her granddaughter, wait for her punishment.

As the two adults walked to the dining room, Sister Julienne couldn't help but mentally go through Emma's group of friends. There weren't that many. And none of the children she came up with were the types to steal.

She sighed. But then again, Emma wasn't either.


	3. Chapter 3

The longer it took for the adults to join her, the more nervous Emma became. She went back over the events of the day. She knew she was in trouble, but she didn't regret anything. She was helping her friend, and since when is that a bad thing?

Emma looked up as Sister Julienne and Uncle Peter entered the dining room. Uncle Peter took a seat on the other side of the table, while Sister Julienne sat down next to her.

"Right, Emma." Uncle Peter started. "Sister Julienne will sit in on this interview as your guardian, since your parents aren't here. Is that okay?"

Emma nodded. She figured that was going to happen. She was really glad her parents were away this weekend. She does not want to think about how her father would have responded to her getting arrested.

"Let's start then, shall we?" Uncle Peter took out his notebook. "The girl you were with, what's her name?"

Emma swallowed, but shook her head. "I'd rather not tell you."

The man raised his eyebrows.

Emma blushed, but shook her head. "I'd really rather not."

Uncle Peter sighed. "We'll get back to it later, then. How do you know her?"

"She goes to my school. She's two grades lower."

"Did you meet in the playground?"

Emma shook her head. "No, we met in detention."

"Detention?" Uncle Peter frowned. "What did you have detention for?"

Emma looked at Sister Julienne sheepishly, before looking back at Uncle Peter. "Blasphemy."

Sister Julienne didn't reply. She had been told about what had happened by Shelagh.

The Sergeant made a note in his notepad. "Do your parents know about this detention?"

Emma nodded. "Of course." She shifted in his seat. She hoped he wasn't going to ask her what their response had been.

"Why was she in detention?"

"Failure to hand in her homework, three times." Emma shook her head angrily. "They didn't ever care to ask her why. Her teacher just said Mary was backtalking her." One more reason Emma disliked that school. They didn't care about their students.

"Why, then?" Peter asked.

Emma hesitated. "I can't tell you."

Peter sighed. "I can't help you if you won't tell me what's going on."

"I really want to tell you." Emma said. "I really do. But I can't."

"Why not? What's stopping you?"

"I promised her. I'm the only friend she has. I know I'm in trouble, and not just with my parents, but I can't betray her trust. I can't have her loose me too."

Uncle Peter sighed softly, before nodding. He may not like it, but he could understand it. "Why did you decide to do it?"

Emma shifted in her seat. How was she supposed to cover for Mary, without putting her own backside in danger?

"Or is that another thing you can't tell me?" Peter couldn't keep his frustration out of his voice.

Emma blushed. She hesitated. "It's not for her, you know."

Uncle Peter raised his eyebrows in a silent question.

"The food." Emma clarified. "It's not for her."

"Then who is it for?"

"Her siblings." Emma hesitated, not sure how much to reveal. "They needed help. All I did was help them."

Before Peter could respond, the telephone rang.

Everyone held their breath, each one hoping it wasn't Dr and Mrs Turner.


	4. Chapter 4

Emma used the pause in the interrogation to ask the question that's been on her mind since they started. "Am I in trouble? With you? I mean, with the law?"

Uncle Peter sighed. "I'm not sure, Emma. It depends on the grocer, and whether he wants to press charges."

Emma nodded sadly. For her, and her bottom's, sake she hoped he wouldn't.

"Sorry to interrupt." Sister Winifred knocked on the doorway. All eyes turned to her. "That was Delia. She's doing a shift at The London. A little girl was just brought in. It looks like she's been assaulted. Apparently, she fell in and out of consciousness." She looked at Emma before she continued. "She kept asking for Emma Turner."

Emma swallowed hard. She looked between her uncle and her grandmother, before returning her gaze to Sister Winifred. "What was her name?"

"Mary Hubert."

Emma sucked in a deep breath. Oh no, what had she done? She turned to Peter. "I need to see her." She swallowed thickly. She really hoped her friend was alright.

The other man raised his eyebrows. "Mary, is that the other girl?"

Emma hesitated, but nodded.

"I know her family." Sister Julienne said. "They're very poor, but nice people."

"Please, uncle Peter." Emma begged, ignoring the Sister. "I'm her only friend."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea." Peter said, frowning. "I will need to speak with her parents, before that. And I need to question her."

"Her parents are the reason she's in there." Emma replied. "I need to see her." She begged. "Please, Uncle Peter."

Peter frowned at Emma's declaration, but decided not to reply. He exchanged a look with Sister Julienne before he nodded. "I'll take you there." He closed his notepad and put it in his jacket pocket.

"I'll come with you, too." Sister Julienne said.


End file.
